Weekly Roundups

Weekly Roundup (9/5 - 9/9)

By Bob Hopkinson

My day was spent in a rent-a-car. A Chrysler Town & Country, in fact. There's no fancy vacation to go hand in hand with the mini-van (by far my favorite style of vehicle); the impetus was a car accident that left my Honda Civic (named Siobhan) in the hospital for two weeks. I spent my day in a rental proudly blasting the stereo as loud as possible, looking like some sort of deranged, bloodshot, stay-at-home dad who just got a pair of new shoes.

C'est la vie.

Ventura "Twenty Four Thousand People": Is there really anything to say about this track? There's not a second of this track that isn't completely magnetic. The straight 4x4 beat, the Pixies-esque loud-quiet-loud, the '90s post-rock vocals...Ventura manages to blast energy and emotion with precision and conviction. This is the song you should play just a little bit louder each time you listen to it. It's the track that makes the rest of the bus stare at you when you scream "Fuck them all!"

Fujiya & Miyagi "Chichikov": Believe it or not, this track was meant to be run to. It was recorded as part of a running mixtape made in 2008 for the Nike+ app...but none of that really matters. The track is solid and focused and -- despite being a little too speedy for cocktail hour -- manages fit perfectly within the Fujiya & Miyagi catalog of laid-back coolness.

Alexis Gideon "Rabbit Shepherd": This track cannot be listened to once. This is one of those songs that on first listen is almost confusing to your ears. It doesn't sound bad; it just doesn't sound right. Sometimes, you have to have faith in your gut. Your gut is telling you this song is great. The only thing this track is missing is a singable hook. Other than that, it's perfect. Let it grow on you.

Regents "Cinder Machine": What's not to love about a bunch of DC post-rockers playing sludgy, grimy punk rock?

Oberhofer "Gotta Go": I'm a sucker for songs that were written to be in John Hughes movies.

Toro Y Moi "All Alone": This makes me feel like we should all be snorting blow on a yacht off the coast of Miami.